title: The superposition of a temporally incoherent magnetic field inhibits 60 Hz-induced changes in the ODC activity of developing chick embryos.
abstract: Previously, we have shown that the application of a weak (4 microT) 60 Hz magnetic field (MF) can alter the magnitudes of the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity peaks which occur during gastrulation and neurulation of chick embryos. We report here the ODC activity of chick embryos which were exposed to the superposition of a weak noise MF over a 60 Hz MF of equal (rms strength). In contrast to the results we obtain with a 60 Hz field alone, the activity of ODC in embryos exposed to the superposition of the incoherent and 60 Hz fields was indistinguishable from the control activity during both gastrulation and neurulation. This result adds to the body of experimental evidence which demonstrates that the superposition of an incoherent field inhibits the response of biological systems to a coherent MF. The observation that a noise field inhibits ODC activity changes is consistent with our speculation that MF-induced ODC activity changes during early development may be related to MF-induced neural tube defects at slightly later stages (which are also inhibited by the superposition of a noise field).
authors.affiliation: Vitreous State Laboratory, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barber
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Litovitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D004627:Embryonic Induction / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005775:Gastrula / Q000201:enzymology / Q000528:radiation effects; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology; D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009955:Ornithine Decarboxylase